Foster Care

Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times

News about Foster Care, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Mar. 25, 2015

Lawsuit by child advocacy groups alleges that Arizona's child welfare system routinely removes children from unstable families only to place them in worse circumstances and that state has been slow to reform foster care system; suit resulted in ouster of Charles Flanagan as director of Dept of Child Safety and installation of his replacement Gregory McKay, police officer who blew whistle on system's failings. MORE

Aug. 28, 2014

Eight young adults with disabilities who were fraudulently adopted by Queens woman Judith Leekin and subjected to years of abuse agree to $17.5 million settlement of their lawsuit against three private New York foster care agencies that had placed them with Leekin. MORE

Feb. 4, 2014

Several prominent Native American groups call for the Justice Department to investigate treatment of Indian children in public child-welfare systems and private adoptions; groups claim that federal law intended to keep Indian children from being removed from their families is being routinely sidestepped. MORE

Nov. 3, 2013

Growing number of colleges have created extensive support programs aimed at current and former foster youth; programs are inspired by research showing that continuing support has positive effect on lives of such young people, and desire to compensate for lack of parental figure in their lives. MORE

Jul. 7, 2013

Bronx resident and mother Vernice Hill has been fighting since 2005 to bring her two daughters home from foster care after they were taken from her on child negligence charges, but her chances seem slimmer than ever; Hill and her advocates feel that unresponsive system overseen by New York City's Administration for Children's Services has failed to help her. MORE

Jun. 14, 2013

South Carolina is reviewing its child welfare system in the wake of a lawsuit by a boy who was raped in a foster home to which he was sent by the state; officials say they are repairing failing system defined by too few foster homes, overloaded social workers and inattentive leadership. MORE

Jan. 27, 2013

Federal law mandates that local agencies in states with Native American populations try to place Indian children with Indian families whenever possible; chronic shortage of licensed Indian foster families in states like New Mexico, however, coupled with poverty and substance abuse endemic to American Indian communities, has made it challenging to apply the law. MORE

Dec. 7, 2012

New York City will pay $9.7 million to settle lawsuit filed on behalf of 10 disabled people who were fraudulently adopted as children by Queens woman Judith Leekin, convicted of fraud and abuse charges, more than 15 years ago and subjected to years of abuse; settlement resolves only claims against city, which placed two of the children; lawsuit against private agencies that placed other eight children is still pending. MORE

Nov. 30, 2011

Nephra and Shanel Payne say they abducted their eight children from foster care in Queens because they learned they were to be put up for adoption rather than being returned to them; say Administration for Children’s Services had unfairly taken custody of their children after one went to school with a bloodshot eye; it was a result, they said, of a squabble among the brothers. MORE

Nov. 21, 2011

Study published in journal Pediatrics finds foster children are being prescribed cocktails of powerful antipsychosis drugs just as frequently as some of the most mentally disabled youngsters on Medicaid; Susan dosReis of the University of Maryland, study's lead author, says foster children are being given drugs despite fact that they do not exhibit complex medical issues, such as schizophrenia, for which they were developed. MORE

Oct. 26, 2011

Shanel Nadal and Nephra Payne plead guilty to second-degree custodial interference after taking their eight children from foster care agency in Queens to Pennsylvania; judge indicates that they will be sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years' probation. MORE

Oct. 21, 2011

New York City reaches agreement on proposed settlement of lawsuit that claims the city allows older children to leave foster care only to become immediately homeless; accord calls for city to maintain a unit in the Administration for Children's Services, initiate training for foster care agencies, revamp its procedures for helping youths find stable housing and improve their access to services. MORE